Farewell and the future of SLA
So sad that this was one of the best episodes yet.
Here are a few of the things that stood out to me:
"We need to seize control"
"Instructed SLA has lost its footing" & "SLA researchers need to talk to teachers".
We think of ourselves as "teaching language instead of telling a story."
What stood out to you? Do you question anything that BVP said or do you stand behind it?
Here are a few of the things that stood out to me:
"We need to seize control"
"Instructed SLA has lost its footing" & "SLA researchers need to talk to teachers".
We think of ourselves as "teaching language instead of telling a story."
What stood out to you? Do you question anything that BVP said or do you stand behind it?
Your take-aways were the same as mine! I wrote down, "I am not a language teacher. I am a communicator and a story-teller!" I can't really speak to the lack of instruction on SLA and language/communication development in teacher education programs because I acquired my secondary teaching credential through different channels. Having come from a background as a Speech Pathologist, my training and education was heavily steeped in language development and communication, so many of these principals and how they apply to SLA are really intuitive to me. I see how this is harder for traditional teachers who A) have taught a certain way for many years, and B) didn't receive the education in these areas in their teacher preparation programs to really understand language/communication and how they work/develop. But, the proof is in the pudding, right? With traditional methods many of them "get it" (i.e., learn grammar rules and memorize vocabulary) and then aren't ever able to use the target language functionally to communicate proficiently.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I disagree with the James J. Asher quote that the caller cited that traditional teachers should be "prosecuted because it's like malpractice in medicine. You're harming people, you're negligent, therefore it's a criminal offense." I think this is ridiculous. When we teach language from the traditional approach, I see it as the same kind of "torture" as forcing kids who hate math to do algebra. You're asking them to learn and study something that is hard and distasteful for many of them. When approached this way, language learning is approached and perceived of as any other discipline. And, if your goal is to have students come away knowing a lot about the language, but not be able to really use it, then that goal will be met. And many students will LOVE it and become passionate about it....just like me! (I dug all of that in middle/high school). It's just that we should be arguing that this shouldn't really be our goal because for most students, it is pretty useless and will lead to our field dying out because it will get harder and harder to make an argument for its utility.
The episode (Farewell and the Future of SLA) with Talkin L2 with BVP was interesting because it talked about the change in language teaching. It was thought provoking to hear the host say that instruction does not make a difference in language acquisition and a world language should not be taught like a math or science class. I am not sure if I agree with the host that instruction does not make a difference. As a Spanish teacher, I have seen many educators provide instruction in ways that are either grammar driven like the math or science class or more communicative like the physical education class. The Spanish class that is more communicative driven is more engaging with authentic materials and this type of instruction does make a difference in language acquisition. The host also explained to the audience that world language teachers have voices in the field. This was the biggest takeaway that I had from the podcast and I know it is important to collaborate with your colleagues and and learn together how the practices of the field can be changed for the better. This can be done through teacher education and professional development. There were many callers that were wishing everyone congratulations because it was apparently their last show. Another major takeaway from the podcast was the importance of goals and backward design.
ReplyDeletePreston Hill